미군은 최근에 위협기반 국방기획(Threat-based Planning)에서 탈피하여 어떠한 위협이 대두되더라도 대응할 수 있는 다양한 능력을 구비하는 것을 강조하는 “능력기반 국방기획(Capabilities-based Planning)”으로의 전환을 추진하고 있고, 한국군의 경우에도 일부에서 이러한 방향으로 전환 필요성이 제기되고 있다. 한국의 경우 남북관계가 진전되고, 주변국들의 위협이 점점 강화되며, 테러 등을 비롯한 새로운 형태의 위협 등 과거에 비해서는 미래의 불확실성과 위협의 다양성이 증대되고 있는 측면이 있다. 그러나 아직까지는 북한의 위협이 워낙 명백하기 때문에, 한국은 위협기반 국방기획을 기본으로 하면서, 다양화되고 있는 위협의 내용을 적극적으로 파악하여 필요한 소요를 반영해 나가는 신중한 접근방법을 채택할 필요가 있다. 국방기획에 관한 이러한 두 가지 방식은 적용되는 상황이 다르고, 나름대로의 장단점도 보유하고 있기 때문에 어느 것을 선택한다는 방식보다는 한국의 상황과 여건에 부합되도록 두 방식의 제반 측면을 잘 활용할 필요가 있다. 이러한 차원에서 능력기반 국방기획의 의미, 내용, 장단점에 대한 정확한 이해를 바탕으로 한 전문적인 토의가 선행되어야 할 것이다.

The U.S. military has been changing from the Threat-based Planning into Capabilities-based Planning as one of key elements in its transformation efforts. It has emphasized the uncertainty of the future and sufficient and flexible military capabilities to deal with unpredictable emerging threats. There are some argument in South Korean force planning community that Korean military also need to adopt the capabilities-based planning approach in order to adapt to the Information Age by benchmarking the U.S. military's experience. However, South Korea's security situation is much different from that of U.S. Though there emerge various threats such as the ambitious military build-up of neighboring countries and the irregular threats like terrorism as well as the improvement on the relations between South Korea and North Korea, the threat from North Korea is still too obvious and too threatening to change the defense planning approach. And also we need to keep in mind that those two approaches apply to the different situation and have pros and cons. We should be very prudent in changing defense planning approach, since it determines the future directions for our nation's military build-up. Furthermore, to reach the certain conclusion we need to go through heated discussion on the situation and the possible courses of action based on accurate knowledge on the concept, pros and cons, and implications of two respective approaches.

The U.S. military has been changing from the Threat-based Planning into Capabilities-based Planning as one of key elements in its transformation efforts. It has emphasized the uncertainty of the future and sufficient and flexible military capabilities to deal with unpredictable emerging threats. There are some argument in South Korean force planning community that Korean military also need to adopt the capabilities-based planning approach in order to adapt to the Information Age by benchmarking the U.S. military's experience. However, South Korea's security situation is much different from that of U.S. Though there emerge various threats such as the ambitious military build-up of neighboring countries and the irregular threats like terrorism as well as the improvement on the relations between South Korea and North Korea, the threat from North Korea is still too obvious and too threatening to change the defense planning approach. And also we need to keep in mind that those two approaches apply to the different situation and have pros and cons. We should be very prudent in changing defense planning approach, since it determines the future directions for our nation's military build-up. Furthermore, to reach the certain conclusion we need to go through heated discussion on the situation and the possible courses of action based on accurate knowledge on the concept, pros and cons, and implications of two respective approaches.

Capabilities-based, Threat-based, JCID, transformation